The Unexpected Work of God

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Peter and John went to pray. They met a lame man on the way. Then God changed everything. Peter and John were expecting to pray, not heal a lame man. The lame man was expecting some loose change, not to walk for the first time in his life. The people in the temple who saw this miracle were expecting to do their normal religious activity, not to be amazed by the supernatural work of God and to hear the message of Christ which would turn their world upside down.

One thing I have learned over and over about God is that He does the unexpected. One thing I have learned about we humans is that we rarely do anything out of the norm. I think that Solomon was talking about this when he wrote, "There is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9) Not only do we rarely do anything out of the norm, we also tend to have the same old expectations. Life has taught us this lesson well.

Perhaps we fall into this trap because we haven't learned the lessons that Jesus taught as well as we should have. He taught us that His Father in heaven was always working. Most of that work is behind the scenes, and we are unaware of it. Yet there are times when He reveals in powerful ways just what He has been doing.

In this scene, the Lord had been at work for a long time preparing the people to hear the message of Jesus Christ. He provided a miraculous healing as a sign to point to the reality of salvation by faith in Christ which Peter had the opportunity then to preach. 

Yes, the Lord had also prepared Peter for this moment. He had walked with Jesus for three years, and Jesus transformed him from a brash, arrogant man to a humble servant. Then the Holy Spirit was poured out on Peter on the day of Pentecost. Peter was ready to respond to God when God did the unexpected. He was ready to follow the leading of the Spirit, to heal the lame man and then to share the message of Christ.

We must ask ourselves if we are ready, like Peter, to follow the Lord's lead when He does the unexpected. How do we get ready for such an assignment? Just like Peter. We walk with the Lord in the power of the Spirit. As we abide in God's Word and allow Him to fill us with His Spirit (rather than the spirit of the world), He will get us ready for His unexpected, supernatural work.

Acts 3:1-10

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God,10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Devoted to keeping Jesus Christ the main thing.

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